Style Guide
Metallics For Summer Your 24kt Gold Wardrobe
Give your summer wardrobe a gilded edge thanks to this season’s statement metallic pieces, from gold tailoring to crinkle silk. Read more
May 8, 2025
DRESS SCIENCE
HOW TO FIND YOUR PERFECT SHAPE
Class is in session, and it’s a lesson in dress shapes.
We know that for dress lovers, once you find a silhouette that suits your style + figure, you’ll return to it season after season. So to keep to our end of the deal, we perfect the shape, then deliver it in a range of lengths, fresh colors, prints and fabrics so you can enjoy your favorite silhouette every season.
SWING
One of our most popular dress styles, and for good reason. The swing silhouette is considered a universally flattering dress shape because it’s all about balancing proportions. Whether it’s a sleeveless, short or long-sleeved style, this cut is defined by a wider hem that can serve many purposes, complementing narrower or wider shoulders, highlighting the waist of a pear-shaped or hourglass figure, or skimming over the body if you prefer a looser fit.
The key feature every length shares is the soft folds created by the perfect amount of excess fabric, which creates the characteristic swing flare. No matter the length of the dress, this hem shape has a flattering effect. Longer styles highlight the narrowest part of the calf or ankle, while above-the-knee lengths show just the right amount of skin and look great with a knee-high boot.
SLIM + BIAS CUT
The bias-cut dress has remained a stronghold in the modern wardrobe since its storied creation by French couturier Madeleine Vionnet in the 1920s. Our slim and bias-cut dresses retain the original properties of the iconic style - cleverly placed seams + figure-skimming shapes - but with fresh feel.
Bias-cut dresses are defined by the way the fabric is cut. Instead of cutting straight across, the fabric is cut on the diagonal grain at 45 degrees. It’s this technique that causes the dress to fall in its signature slinky silhouette. While many classic bias-cut dresses are made in lustrous silk or satin, we tend to opt for something more functional and flattering. Fluid fabrics like crepe or lace are our modern answer to a flattering bias cut, because they skim the figure without clinging.
SHIFT
Our shift dresses take cues from the classic mini silhouettes popularized in the 60s, but reimagined through a distinctly modern lens. The key to a great shift silhouette is finding the perfect balance between a clean-lined shape that falls between A-line and boxy, while taking care not to have so much fabric that it overwhelms the figure. The generally relaxed fit of this style means it can work for different bust sizes, tall and petite figures.
Fabric is a key consideration when it comes to making the shift silhouette a staple every season. For example, our easy-wearing Toweling Shift Dress is the ultimate holiday and sunny day staple with sunglasses and sandals. While the supple leather of our Dark Treacle Shift Dress is perfect for the colder seasons.
FIT-AND-FLARE
It doesn’t get much more timeless than the classic fit-and-flare silhouette. This style is beloved for its enduringly flattering shape that enhances and highlights the figure's natural curves by going in at the waist before flaring to a full skirt.
The fitted waist is the key characteristic of the fit-and-flare silhouette, whether it’s a banded or belted detail, or cleverly placed seams. The key factor we consider when designing these styles, is ensuring it defines the waist, without restricting it. This is why many styles have shirred panelling or elasticated detailing at the back to balance the fitted look with flexibility and comfort. Another intentional way we create a fitted waist is through darted or contoured seams, which are thoughtfully placed so they continue down the skirt and have a leg elongating effect.
